Actuating device on sewing machines for a binding apparatus



United States Patent Karlsruhe, Germany,

a corporation of Germany March 7, 1968 Germany Priority ACTUATING DEVICEON SEWING MACHINES FOR A BINDING APPARATUS 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 112/139 Int. Cl D05c 7/08 Field of Search 1 12/136,

137. I52. 1391226/(checked) Primary Examiner- Patrick D. LawsonAttorney-Singer, Stern and Carlberg ABSTRACT: An actuating device on asewing machine for a binding apparatus used for forming and sewing atubular binding containing a rubber band on a piece of clothing. Ahorizontal base plate has mounted thereon a fixed guide part and aslidable guide part, the latter moving under the action of a horizontaloperating rod arranged below said base plate into an open position toreceive between said guide parts the binding and the edge of clothing tobe sewed together. The movement of said slidable part is controlled by acylindrical control member mounted on said operating rod and havingrecessed cam guides therein, into which extends a guide pin fixed tosaid base plate. Only a short push on one end of the operating rod by aknee-operated lever is required to move the slidable guide part into itsopen position and to arrest it in this position.

ACTUATING DEVICE ON SEWING MACHINES FOR A BINDING APPARATUS Theinvention relates to an actuating device on sewing machines fora bindingapparatus provided with a stationary and a movable guide-part and usedfor forming and sewing a binding on a piece of clothing. The apparatusis equipped with an operating rod connected with the movable guide-part,and is slidable in its lengthwise direction and actuated by a pivotedlever against the action of a return spring.

In the production of bindings from tubular fabrics, it is necessary toinsert the tubular band which has a rubber ring inserted thereinindividually into the binding apparatus and then guide it together withthe piece of clothing to the place where the sewing is to take place. Abinding apparatus is known which consists of a stationary guide-partserving as a material abutment and a movable guide-part comprising aslidable part. In addition, there is present also a hand flap for theopening of the binding apparatus. Before the tubular band can beinserted with its inserted rubber ring in the mentioned apparatus, firstthe hand flap must be grasped and by pivoting the same, the bindingapparatus is opened. At the same time, by the actuation of a lever,which may for example be constructed as knee-operated lever, theslidable part must be brought from its closure position to its openingposition. In addition, the pressure-foot of the sewing machine must beraised by stepping on a foot-pedal. Only when these operative steps havebeen accomplished can the tubular band with the rubber ring therein beinserted in the binding apparatus. In this connection, it is to be notedthat the knee-operated lever for holding the slidable part open must beheld in position until the insertion step has been completed. Only thenthe knee-operated lever may be released again, whereby, after thebinding edge of the piece of clothing is pushed into the tubular hand,the pressure foot of the sewing machine is again lowered and the handflap grasped anew for closing the binding apparatus and must bepivotally. moved back again. Unfortunately it may happen with this knownapparatus that upon a continuous operation of the knee-operated lever,for a longer period of time, and shortly before completion of thebinding-finishing on an article of clothing, namely up to insertion of anew tubular band with rubber ring for the next following operative step,this knee-operated lever must remain in engagement, so that the slidablepart remains in its open position. Furthermore, the hand flap is stillto be pivotally operated for opening of the binding apparatus. Theseoperations are necessary for the reason that the beginning of the almostfinished seam on the binding of the piece of clothing may be guidedwithout damage through the opened apparatus so that the seam uponfurther sewing of the seam may be completed. This known actuating deviceon the binding apparatus has the disadvantage that the knee-operatedlever must remain engaged for so long, that is, it must be held by theknee, until the steps described have been completed. This retention ofthe knee-operated lever which is associated with a return spring,requires an overcoming of the spring force each time upon pressure withthe knee during its operative stage and this results in a heavy physicalstrain on the sewer or seamstress. Furthermore, the constant opening andclosure of the hand flap of the binding apparatus is an uneconomicaloperation, which requires a great deal of time during each working day.

These disadvantages are overcome by means of the present invention,which has the object of eliminating the regular holding of the actuatinglever, namely, the knee-operated lever, as well as abolishing theconstant actuation of the handflap of the binding apparatus.

This object is attained according to the invention by providing acam-controlled mechanism which consists of a control cylinder havingguide-ways and a detent in operative connection with a guide-pin inoperative engagement with the detent for arresting the movableguide-part when in its open position. By means of this controlmechanism, a continuous holding of the knee-operated lever can bedispensed with. In order to bring the slidable part of the bindingmechanism into its open position, it is sufficient to actuate theknee-operated lever quite briefly and immediately release it again. Bymeans of a guide-pin which is in operative connection with the detent ofthe control cylinder, a sliding back of the slidable part is prevented,so that the latter remains in its open position.

The control cylinder is suitably connected with the operating rod and isprovided with guide grooves or walls for engagement with the guidepin.It is, however, also possible to arrange a guide-pin on the operatingrod.

According to a particular object of the invention. the control cylinderis rotatably arranged, but not axially movably arranged on the operatingrod and its cam grooves are formed by groove-shaped recesses, whichprovide a run-up flank and an inlet guide. A portion not milled out andarranged within the guide-rails of the controller cylinder forms thedetent acting as abutment for the guide-pin disposed fixedly on abaseplate, whereby the surface on the detent receiving the guidepin isshaped concavely. The fixed guide-pin enters the groove-shaped guides ofthe control cylinder when the operating rod is shifted lengthwise.

According to a further feature of the invention, the run-up flank in thecontrol cylinder when engaging the guide-pin imparts a rotary movementto the control cylinder. This run-up flank may comprise an inclinedsurface, while the inlet guide groove first extends parallel to theoperating-rod and thereafter extends inclined downwardly. An abutmentmember is provided for interrupting the sliding movement of theguide-pin within its guide-path, said abutment being located oppositethe concave surface of the detent. In a further development of theinvention, the control cylinder may be arrestable with the assistance ofa return spring con nected with the operating rod when the guide-pinengages the concave surface on the detent.

The invention is described in the following more in detail withreference to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings:

FIG. I a front view of the actuating device in closed condition.

FIG. 2 a front view of the actuating device in open condition.

FIG. 3 a plan view of the actuating device according to FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 a cutaway portion of the control cylinder shown in FIG. 3, in anenlarged view with a sectional showing of a guide-pin assuming differentpositions.

Referring to the drawing, the base plate I of a sewingmachine, notshown, has arranged thereon a fabric abutment 2 formed as stationaryguide-part which cooperates with a slidable guide part 3 movable in anopeningand closure-position. The slidable part 3 is operativelyconnected with a horizontal operating rod 4, which is slidably supportedin axially spaced bearings 5 extending below the base plate 1. The rod 4has mounted thereon a control cylinder 6 constructed as a cam gate, saidcontrol cylinder being axially fixed but rotatable on the rod 4 so as toaxially move with the same. The control cylinder 6 is provided withguide walls which are formed by groove-shaped recesses, for example,cut-outs and these guide walls serve as a run-up guide 7 as well as aninlet guide 8 and an outlet guide 9, in fact, they serve as guides for apin I0 fixed on the base plate I and projecting downwardly therefrom andinto the area of the guide walls. The control cylinder 6 is furthermoreprovided with a guide detent ll acting as run-up flank for the guide-pin10. The guide detent 11 is formed by a part not milled out when theguide walls 7 to 9 were formed and is provided with a concave surface 12for receiving the guide-pin 10. The operating rod 4 has a lateralextension 4a to which is attached one end of a return spring 13, whichserves for holding the guide-pin 10 in engagement with the concavesurface 12 of the guide detent I1, and, after the release of the pin 10from the guide detent 11 causes the return of the operating rod 4 andthe control cylinder 6 to the starting posi tion, whereby operativelyalso the slidable part 3 is brought back to its closure position. Theoperating rod 4 is operatively connected with its one end 14 with atongue of a kneeoperated lever 16, while the other end 17 of the rod 4has a collar 17 thereon which engages one end of a spring 18, mounted onthe rod 4, while the other end of the spring 18 engages an abutment 1aextending downwardly from the base plate 1. This spring 18 is effectivein the closure position of the slidable part 3 and insures a yieldableposition of the same.

The operation of the actuating device is as follows: A short pressurewith the knee on the knee-operated lever 16 toward the left causes ashifting of the slidable part 3 into its opening position. Upon thisbrief actuation of the lever 16, the tongue 15 presses against the end Mof the operating-rod 4, so that the latter is pushed from the positionshown in FIG. i into the position according to FIG. 2. Upon this slidingmovement of the operating-rod 4, the control cylinder 6 which isconnected against axial movement, but rotatable on the operating-rod 3,approaches the guidepin ll) fixedly attached to the base-plate l, and isoperated by the same. At first, the guide-pin 10 enters and follows theinlet-guide 8, which extends first parallel to the operating-rod 4 andthereafter extends inclined downwardly and then rearwardly, so that thepin 10 will engage an abutment 19 at the end of the inlet-guide 8. Sincethe actuation of the knee-operated lever 16 takes place only briefly,the return spring 13 has the tendency to move the operating-rod 4 backagain into its starting position. This return movement of the spring 13is, however, immediately interrupted again, because in the meantime theguide-pin M) from the abutment 19 on has returned the distance 'y (HO.3) and has engaged the concave surface 12 of the detent 11, and nowperforms with the assistance of the return spring 13 a stoppage of thecontrol cylinder 6 and therewith stops the slidable part 3 connectedwith the operating rod 4, so that the slidable part 3 remains in itsopen position.

Now the tubular band with the rubber ring therein is inserted betweenthe parts 2 and 3 of the apparatus, without the necessity of having tohold the knee-operated lever 16. By means of the suitable configurationof the slidable part 3. the hand-flap in use up to now on an apparatusof this type has become superfluous, so that in this way, the manualoperations necessary for the opening and closing of the hand flap aredispensed with.

After the tubular band with rubber ring therein is inserted in theapparatus, the knee-operated lever 16 is again briefly actuated. Thishas the result that firstly the guide-pin 10 is urged away from theconcave surface 12 of the detent 11, whereby, as it is apparent from H6.4, it moves along the path 7 and in this way reaches the area of theoutlet-guide 9. At the same time, the return spring 13 becomes active,which now moves the operating-rod 4 and the control cylinder 6 thereonback to the starting position. When this takes place the guide-pin 10moves along the outlet guide 9 and leaves the control cylinder 6, andcovers the path y and'fl. At the same time, the slidable part 3connected with the operating-rod 4 is also pushed back again into itsstarting position, so that it may assume its closure position shown inFIG. 1. Since the slidable part 3 is again disposed in its closureposition it is now possible as soon as the inserted tubular band as wellas rubber ring and the binding edge of the piece of clothing arecombined to lower the pressure foot of the sewing machine so that thesewing operation may be commenced.

An inclined surface 2%? provided in the area of the run-up guide 7serves the purpose of insuring that the guide-pin ill positively reachesthe area of the inlet-guide in case the control cylinder 6 rotatessomewhat during the shifting movement of the operating-rod 4. The arrowsindicated in F IG. 4 characterize the path along which the rigidguide-pin 11 moves within the guides of the slidable, however, axiallyfixed and rotatable control cylinder 6. The arc-shaped lines indicatedin FlG. 2 with a 'y and B indicate the paths of movement of theknee-operated lever 16.

We claim:

1. An actuating device on a sewing-machine for a binding apparatus,comprising a stationary guide-part and a movable guide-part used for theformation and sewing of a binding on a piece of clothing, a horizontallydisposed operating rod connected with said movable guide-part, means forslidably supporting said operating rod lengthwise to the longitudinalaxis, a spring for urging said operating rod in one direction. Anactuating lever for slidably moving said operating rod against theaction of said spring, an operating means including a movable cam gatewith a cam groove and a detent and a fixedly mounted guide-pin which isadapted to come into operative connection with said detent for arrestingsaid movable guidepart in its open position.

2. Actuating device according to claim 1, in which said cam gate ismounted on said operating rod and that said cam groove forms guide wallsengaged by said pin when said operating rod is shifted in one direction.

3. Actuating device according to claim 2, in which said cam gate isformed by a cylindrical control member which is rotatably but nonaxiallysecured on said operating rod, said guide walls being formed ingroove-shaped recesses in said control member and form a run-up flank,an inlet guide and an outlet guide.

4. Actuating device according to claim 3, in which said detent forms anabutment for said guide-pin which is mounted on a horizontal base plate,and that the surface on said detent receiving said guide-pin is concave.

5. Actuating device according to claim 3 in which the said fixedguide-pin when engaging said run-up flank in said cylindrical controlmember imparts to the latter a rotary movement, said run-up flank beingformed by an inclined surface, and that said inlet guide extending firstparallel to the operating rod and thereafter inclined thereto, wherebyan abutment at the end of said inclined guide interrupts the slidingmovement of the guide-pin within the guide path, said abutment beingdisposed opposite a concave surface formed on said detent.

6. Actuating device according to claim 4, in which the cylindricalcontrol cylinder under the action of said spring which is operativelyconnected with said operating rod is caused to engage said concavesurface on said detent and thereby is arrested against further axialmovement.

